Jowita Budnik and Eliane Umuhire awarded in Karlovy Vary

At 52nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival the award for the best female performance went together to Jowita Budnik and Eliane Umuhire for their roles in “Birds Are Singing in Kigali” by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze.

The film Birds Are Singing in Kigali has premiered in Karlovy Vary on July, 4. It received excellent reviews. Film critics also flaged great performances by Jowita Budnik and Eliane Umuhire. This year’s awards in Main Competition were given by Anna Brüggemann, Sarah Flack, Ciro Guerra, Michel Merkt oraz Štefan Uhrík.

Ptaki śpiewają w Kigali (Birds Are Singing in Kigali)

Ptaki śpiewają w Kigali (Birds Are Singing in Kigali) is Poland’s first film about refugees. Beginning in 1994, in the days immediately preceding the beginning of genocide, and ending in 1997, the film tells the story of a Polish ornithologist researching the decline in the population of vultures in Rwanda. When the genocide begins, she – somewhat accidentally – saves the life of a young Rwandan girl, the daughter of her Tutsi coworker. She brings her to Poland. But after arriving in Poland, the two women are distraught and incapable of leading a normal routine life. They try desperately to get past their horrific experience. A story about friendship, forgiveness, and the power of nature.

The film was written and directed by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze. Ptaki śpiewają w Kigali (Birds Are Singing in Kigali) was lensed by Krzysztof Ptak, Józefina Gocman and Wojciech Staroń. The film was produced by Kos Film, co-produced by Telewizja Polska, Narodowe Centrum Kultury, Odra Film and Studio A. The film was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and in April 2016 received the First Look Award at the 69th Locarno IFF worth 65,000 EUR worth of post-production services.

The 52nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival run from June 30 through July 8, 2017. Further details are available at: www.kviff.com.